Do you use a filter sock on flow into sump?

[mtnrunner]

I normally kept a filter sock on the water coming from my 90 gal mixed reef into my sump, cleaning it a couple of times per week.

I have now removed and am going to see how my tank handles it. I do run a skimmer.

Do you use filter socks or can we get by without and let skimmers and biological breakdown do it?

 

[TRIGGER SHARKFIST]

I use 2 filter socks and will continue to do so as great mechanical filtration of suspended partials.

Having a Dragon Wrasse that constantly stirs the sand It helps keep the display water clear.

Also prevents having to clean the sump of detritus too often.


Great invention I used to have to rely on filter floss which is awful stuff ..

 

[SeaDweller]

Not anymore. I do miss the clarity while having it, but hated cleaning them and now I have to suck the detritus out of the sump, but I feel my tank does better without one.

 

[Leslie Tabor]

I have always used filter socks. The amount of crap they collect...I can't imagine that chilling in the tank/water somewhere. I am a HEAVY feeder and I can't seem to stop soooo the socks really help. I just change them every other day with my usual maintenance stuff.

 

[Ruben's Reef]

I don't use filter sock anymore for a while and my tank is doing great. I do have a filter cup that once in a while throw some Poly-fil material from Walmart or a carbon bag on it just to clear the water.

 

[Drewbacca]

90 gal mixed. Nope, just drains into a big ball of chaeto under a 160 flora. I used to use a pad on media tray after skimmer, but phos was always zero & corals werent growing so took it out and all is well...2 cubes a day and 2 scoops reef chili.. 0.03 on average.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Always have and always will. I see too many benefits and My new sump which has 7" socks changes the pitch of the sound of water flow when sock s are getting dirty !!

 

[A. Ocellaris]

My new setup is the first time I haven't used a HOB filter, and I am running two filter socks. I DIY'd an Aqueon dual overflow into a Herbie overflow, and have both drains running into filter socks. One goes directly into the sock (the e-drain) and the other goes into a chamber that empties directly into both socks. Change them out about every month or so.

 

[jd371]

I tried going sockless on my 75g, but I had to clean the skimmer and the reactor pump more frequently. Instead of going back to felt socks I opted for mesh and it's so much better. You don't need to wash them in a washing machine, just run them under the sink and be done with it.

 

[Jay Z]

I started with socks, then tried no socks as some recommend. I noticed no difference as far as health went. Inside the sump was a different story. Sump got filthy real quick without the socks but I run ozone also.

I have 9 socks, sump holds 3. When they get dirty I just throw them in the washer with some pool chlorine then rinse in cold water and air dry. I do one more rinse before putting them back in. Not to much hassle.

I did add a micro sicce pump to my first chamber plumbed over to the third to help the pods stay out of the socks. Seems to be working.

 

[Daniel@R2R]

I changed from filter socks to media filter cups with filter floss, and that's been way better for me. I'll be going to a roller mat at the first opportunity. That would be a dream come true for me.

 

[mtnrunner]

Ok, now some of you have scared me about the sump becoming dirty. I just put my sock back on.

 

[Hemmdog]

No socks for me. I did it for awhile. My water is always super crystal clear with a fuge and oversized skimmer. My sump is clean too besides coralline and healthy macro algae. 5 NO3 0.02 PO4

 

[Mical]

I ran socks and it was added maintenance on weekends. I clean my skimmers every weekend anyhow so socks went away. Both tanks showed growth after doing away with socks. Hammers, Torches & frogspawn literally doubled in size within a month. I won't be running socks anytime soon.

 

[cancun]

Hi! I have a Red Sea Reefer 750.....i started out with the 4 filter socs, but got rid of them and replaced them with 4 filter cups....I but one bag of Chemipure Blue in each cup. Skimmer pulls out gunk....and don't notice a issue in water chemistry.

 

[Hermie]

I have filter floss after the refugium section, no socks... I did take the floss out for a while but its too valuable in nutrient export for me to do that at the moment, I am battling GHA and need as much export as I can to keep nutrients from feeding the algae

 

[kapnkush608]

I think about it sometimes but if it's not broke don't fix it.